We all have different levels of efficiency and contribution to society.
You can be an exceptionally productive person today, while you can be a highly unproductive person tomorrow.
Most people have a mix of fruitful and unfulfilling days, floating somewhere in the middle.
How Do You Know If You’re Unproductive?
Here are the ten unproductive habits you may not notice you are doing if you are unproductive:
- You can’t focus
- Perfectionism
- Multi-tasking
- You can’t say no
- Can’t prioritize important tasks
- Sudden life-changing situations
- Can’t make decisions
- Bad environment
- Bad habits
- Putting things off
What Are The Common Excuses Unproductive People Often Use?
Excuse #1. I’ll Do It Tomorrow
Even productive people experience the “I’ll do it tomorrow” mindset at some point, but what is the reason we do it?
Everyone has heard the adage “live in the now” day after day after day. But as everyone knows, it’s not that simple.
The beauty of putting off actions till tomorrow is that you can do it guilt-free.
When you feel that you can do something tomorrow, you can let go of all your productivity rules easily.
One of the habits of unproductive people is putting off till later what they understand should be done right now. Guilty emotions are linked to this.
You are aware of the proximity of tomorrow and the lack of urgency of whatever it is you have scheduled for that day.
Those who put things off till later are too busy escaping their (shitty) life to discover solutions to their current issues right now.
It’s human nature to try to avoid unpleasant tasks, whether it’s the pile of dirty plates in the sink or the underlying issues that need fixing right away.
In the same way that the dishes don’t miraculously disappear when we leave the kitchen, neither do our issues when lying to bed; instead of escaping life, we just take them with us into the following day.
Excuse #2. There’s No Chance I’ll Ever Be Successful
A person who lacks motivation in life has an unproductive habit.
It’s generally less stressful to simply relax, play out the scenario in your head, and come up with a million things as a conclusion.
Taking meaningful action in your personal life requires a strong will and actual rules set to become a productive person.
Why do the laziest people lose up when they first encounter difficulty?
They are hating rules of success like ‘perseverance.’ A person who gives up easily in the face of adversity has little chance of ever succeeding.
Few, but not everyone, envy someone else’s life because they look effortlessly successful.
These people hate the rules of hard work because they think that the world is completely dominated by the wealthy, leaving no room for them.
The thought is pointless to try if they’re doomed to fail. They will prefer not even attempt.
If these things keep popping into your head, too, remember that affluent individuals have become that way by a combination of effort and a strategic mindset, so it’s crucial to keep that in mind.
Lazy folks who don’t want to work for what they have are the ones that always end up at the bottom.
Related: 10 Time Management Books You Should Read In 2023
Excuse #3. There’s No Way I Can Spare The Time Right Now
This justification has been repeated so often it has reached the level of redundancy.
The lazy person already has an answer prepared for the inquiry.
It’s true that even the most slothful people in the world only have 24 hours in a day.
If you have the leisure time to sit in front of the TV or scroll through social media, you have more than enough time to organize your priorities and make progress toward your goals.
The daily time allotment of the two of us is the same at 24 hours.
The CEO of two major corporations, Elon Musk, has the same number of hours a day that the rest of us do.
Serena Williams, winner of 39 Grand Slam singles championships and the number one player on the WTA tour for almost five years, and I share the same 24 hours.
We all have the same number of hours in a day as successful entrepreneurs like Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, who manage to spend quality time with their families while still building a successful business with 100,000+ paying customers and writing best-selling books.
Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of a Fortune 500 company, philanthropist, author, and board member for several for-profit and non-profit organizations, has the same 24 hours that we do.
This group has not yet invented a day with more than 24 hours.
What they have accomplished, though, is almost beyond comprehension.
This might be disheartening if one focuses solely on their achievements.
When we consider that they, like us, have the same amount of time to spend on what matters in life, what can’t we do?
The truth is that it can inspire you to no end.
Excuse #4. Goodbye Lame Old Books As There Is No Time For You
Most lazy people don’t read much because they know if they did, they’d suddenly become productive. You can find whatever you want to learn in a book.
Reading an article, whether fantasy or not, is usually a good idea.
Reading demands focus, which is why many lazy individuals give up before flipping the first page. When fatigue sets in, the focus becomes nearly impossible.
When someone says “Book,” many people unconsciously yawn. That’s because our brains are designed to avoid boredom while doing anything active or mentally taxing.
For this reason, some techniques may be used to sneak up on the slothful mind.
Turn to an audiobook instead, close your eyes, and relax as someone else reads to you. Audible is a great audio listening application.
If you’re just starting with reading, magazines with images may be more appealing than books because of all the black and white text.
If you want to know what’s going on in the world, there’s no better place to look than the newspaper. To make it a habit, read the morning paper every day.
There is no longer any requirement to learn something from a book if you don’t want to.
The way you take in information may be different from the way someone else does.
Therefore, test out many options until you find one that suits you best.
Excuse #5. Can’t Workout, It’s Draining
Lazy people also have their own set of personal rules, and I am not the weird kid but you, weird kid!
It is weird to let your life and your career be swayed by unnecessary excuses.
Those who are labeled as indolent might dispel that stereotype if they make time for regular exercise.
Exercise is a great antidote to sloth since it demands conscious effort on the part of the participant.
To go out the door after lounging on the couch all day might feel like an ordeal. But not challenging yourself will be the real problem.
